THE Government has announced the shortlisted candidates to operate the East Coast Main Line train service - but there is still hope that York-based GNER will be involved in the contract.

Yesterday Arriva, First Rail, National Express and a partnership of Virgin and Stagecoach were announced as the shortlisted candidates to run train services on the line.

The management team behind GNER did not submit a bid. But GNER spokesman John Gelson revealed the firm has been approached by more than one of the successful companies with a view to teaming up with them in the future.

This opens up the possibility that the 400 GNER administration staff could find the same or different roles in the new franchise.

Mr Gelson said: "We were approached by several potential bidders who wanted to team up with GNER, recognising our management expertise, knowledge of the route and high service standards.

"We remain in active discussions with short- listed parties and have no intention of standing on the sidelines. We will continue to do everything possible to shape the future of this important franchise beyond the life of the current management contract, safeguarding our hard-earned service ethos."

He said that, under industry rules known as the transfer of undertakings, staff currently employed by GNER will be guaranteed a position with the new franchisee although not necessarily in the long-term.

The four successful bidders must now submit a detailed bid by June with a final decision being made later on in the summer.

The winner could be operating train services on the line by late autumn.

The successful company will hold the franchise for a maximum of seven years and five months - the final 17 months being dependent on it hitting performance targets.

Train fares must remain within Government guidelines and the winning company must be willing to develop new ticketing systems.

They must also maintain current timetables and offer half-hourly services to London.

Len Cruddas, chief executive of the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: "This route is very important strategically for the business people of York.

"Whoever wins the franchise will need people to operate the railway and I very strongly hope they will recognise the good that has been done by the GNER workforce and continue to base their HQ in York."

Rail bosses pledging to improve service

THE shortlisted bidders for the East Coast Main Line franchise have all expressed their delight and pledged to improve the service.

Arriva, National Express, First Rail and a partnership between Virgin and Stagecoach are all in line to run services on the railway.

Brian Souter, of Stagecoach, and Sir Richard Branson, of Virgin, said passengers would be at the heart of their plans and that their bid would offer "lasting improvements to millions of customers".

Moir Lockhead, chief executive of First Group, which owns First Rail, said its final bid would be innovative and based on attracting more people to the East Coast through a better service and value for money.

National Express said it already operated Midland Mainline which was voted Passenger Operator Of The Year 2006.

Chief executive Richard Bowker said the company would make the East Coast mainline a "world-class railway" and offer a "world-class level of customer service".

David Martin, chief executive of Arriva, said it understood the need for a "dependable, high- quality service on this important franchise".

Rail franchising condemned as an expensive pantomime' by unions

TRADES unions have reacted with concern and anger at news of the shortlisted bids for GNER's East Coast Main Line franchise, saying people's jobs are at risk and the railways should be brought back under state control.

Currently, 400 administration staff are employed by GNER in York and Brian Brock, senior regional organiser for the Transport Salaried Staffs Association, said they now faced a period of uncertainty.

He said: "People don't know what the future holds and it's not good for morale in the company, and if it's not good for staff morale, it's not good for the customer."

He said whichever company took over would look at the current staffing levels and infrastructure already in place and ask whether it was needed.

He said: "It's certainly a major worry for York, given the job losses we've suffered over the last 18 months."

Mr Brock also accused the Government of missing a chance to renationalise the East Coast Main Line and pump millions of pounds back into the public purse.

Mr Brock said: "Clearly the Government can see the line can make a lot of money and they should have taken it back under state control, so the money that would have been made would have gone back to the taxpayer and help subsidise and run the railway network."

The Rail Maritime And Transport (RMT) Union agreed and said rail franchising had become an "expensive pantomime" which should be scrapped.

General secretary Bob Crow said: "How many more failures do we need to see before the Government drops franchising once and for all? The franchising process itself will cost taxpayers millions, and the only way any franchisee will be able to make premium payments to the treasury will be to squeeze services, passengers and rail workers, in every sense of the word.

"The huge sums of taxpayers' and fare-payers' money already going into the railways should be spent on improving them, and bringing GNER's operations back in-house would be a positive first step."

But a spokesman for the Department of Transport said: "Renationalisation would cost billions, without providing a single piece of track or a new train."

Jodie Chamberlain asked people at York Station who they would like to see running the East Coast Main Line rail service

David Lee, 40, a radio presenter, of Chester, said: "I would have liked to see GNER keep it. They provide a very good and efficient service."

Scott Readman, 17, a student, of Middles- brough, said: "Of those shortlisted, I'd like to see Arriva get the contract. I use their buses and trains and I think they do a good job."

David White, retired, of Old Malton, said: "I say don't repair it if it's not broken. I'm sure there must be some financial reason, but the service seems fine."

Linda Ali, a researcher, of Heslington, York, said: "GNER provides an excellent service. I travel with them to London frequently. Any operator that replaces them needs to provide an equally good service and timetable."

Chris Hunt, 57, a full-time carer, of Scarborough, said: "As long as someone provides a good service and it's clean, it doesn't really matter to me."

Imogen James, 17, a student, of Middles-brough, said: "I'd like Arriva to get it, because I think they're cheaper."